


Judging a Book by its Cover

by Ultra



Category: Firefly
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Dark Past, Episode Tag, Episode: s01e10 War Stories, Gen, Secret Identity, Secrets, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-27
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-03-10 06:56:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13497034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultra/pseuds/Ultra
Summary: After the events of War Stories, Jayne is looking at Book a little differently.





	Judging a Book by its Cover

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GriegPlants](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GriegPlants/gifts).



“See, here’s the part where I’m a might fuzzy.”

Book felt a smile come over his lips at Jayne’s approach and the question he was already sure was coming. Still, he didn’t turn or offer a response until he actually heard the words, just concentrated on putting away the rest of the guns from the rescue mission.

“Seems to me a Shepherd wouldn’t altogether know how to fire a gun so much,” Jayne continued. “Now, I heard what you said about shooting rats and all at your Abbey way back, but this was some other kind of vermin we was after today, and you was doing some fancier shootin’ than any men of the cloth I ever seen.”

“Is there a question you’re wanting to ask me, Jayne?” said Book, closing the gun cabinet and locking it up tight.

He hoped that when he turned around his smile was a convincing one. After all these years, it ought to be. Still, Jayne Cobb wasn’t as unintelligent as some might think. A little crass and somewhat illogical at times, but really not at all stupid.

“I’m just wondering who taught a man like you to fire a weapon like that?” he asked Book, folding his muscled arms across his chest. “You gonna tell me that?”

“I surely would like to, Jayne” he told him honestly, “but I’m not sure now is necessarily the right time.”

He patted him on the bicep and squeezed past the merc to walk away. Book had moved barely a half a dozen paces before Jayne spoke up again.

“I ain’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I know enough to know that you ain’t been a Shepherd all your life.”

Book smiled wider. “Definitely smarter than he looks,” he muttered, turning back.

“No man is born a Shepherd, Jayne,” he reminded him. “A person lives their life through many stages. That is, if a person is lucky to have as many years in the ‘verse as I’ve had, and I’d like to think I have many more to come yet. The point is, we each have many experiences as time goes on, both good and bad. It’s what we take from each one, what we learn, that really defines what kind of person we turn out to be.”

“Reckon that’s so,” Jayne agreed. “’Course all I know for sure is that somewhere along your ‘life path’ or whatever you wanna call it, somebody taught you some awful fancy skills with some scary ass weaponry. Ain’t quite fittin’ for a peacable man.”

He met Book’s eyes and they both knew there was way more to this than was being said. That knowledge didn’t change anything, of course. Jayne was as sure he wasn’t getting an answer to his question as the Shepherd was.

“One day, perhaps, I’ll be able to give you some better explanation” said Book.

“That’s alright, Preacher,” Jayne assured him. “So long as you and me is on the same side for now, I ain’t gotta worry about you none, and you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout me either.”

Book shook his head, a chuckle of laughter escaping his lips as he turned and actually walked away this time. He passed by Mal coming the other way, still fiddling with his newly reattached ear.

“You know, Captain, if you want it to stay on, you might leave it alone a while,” Book advised him.

“Reckon I heard that a time or two,” Mal considered. “Not sure it was always about ears though,” he said, smirking like a naughty school boy.

“We’re very glad to have you back aboard,” said the Shepherd then, patting Mal on the shoulder before walking away.

“Never gonna understand that fella,” said Jayne too suddenly, making Mal jump more than a bit.

“Startin’ to think maybe folks just ain’t meant to be understood,” the Captain considered. “He really come on that rescue mission, shooting a rifle and all?” he checked.

“Yup. Mighty fine shooter too, for an old man who’s s’posed to be the peaceable type,” Jayne told him with a look. “You think maybe he used to be a spy or some such? Maybe a sniper?”

“The Preacher?” said Mal, eyes wider than anything. “A sniper? Really, Jayne? You goin’ completely _fong-luh_ on us?”

He walked away from the merc, shaking his head and all but laughing at the very idea.

Jayne watched him go, sneering some. He didn’t see nothing funny at all about the shady past of the religious fella onboard. He liked Book well enough, but there was more than one something he wasn’t tellin’ them. Maybe a whole lot of somethings, now that he thought on it.

“Gettin’ to be altogether too many secrets on this here boat,” he said, walking away.

From out of shadows stepped a delicate figure in a flowing dress, who had been listening in to more than words.

“You’re not wrong,” she whispered, and slowly smiled.


End file.
